Jang tops delayed Coates Golf Championship

Ocala, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Ha Na Jang fired a 7-under 65 on Thursday and she jumped four strokes clear of the field with the second round of the season-opening Coates Golf Championship suspended by darkness.

Jang, who qualified for the event on Saturday, completed 36 holes at 12-under- par 132.

World No. 3 Stacy Lewis posted a 2-under 70 and she is alone in second place at minus-8 at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club.

Lydia Ko, the second-ranked player in the world, shot 3-under 69 to move into a share of third place. She was joined there by Azahara Munoz (71) as well as Angela Stanford and Austin Ernst, who were still on the course when play was called for the day. Stanford completed 14 holes of her second round, while Ernst was through 13.

Jessica Korda, who shared the first-round lead with Lewis and Munoz, managed an even-par 72. Korda is tied for seventh place with Na Yeon Choi (70).

The first round was completed earlier Thursday after being suspended by darkness on Wednesday evening. There was also a 90-minute frost delay on Thursday morning. The second round will resume on Friday at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Jang played the back nine first in round two and she dropped in back-to-back birdie chances from the 11th. Birdies at 14 and 16 moved her into the lead at minus-9.

Around the turn, Jang continued to roll as she birdied the second and fourth. Her lone stumble came at the par-3 sixth. Jang quickly erased that mistake as she birdied the par-5 seventh. Another birdie at the ninth left her four clear of the field.

"I think today my (approach) shots were better. I hit some very nice iron shots today," said Jang, who is ranked 21st in the world.

Lewis got off to a slow start as she had five pars and a bogey through six holes. She caught fire in the middle part of her round.

The reigning LPGA Tour Player of the year birdied the par-5 seventh and made it two in a row with another birdie at the eighth to move to 7-under.

After a pair of pars, Lewis birdied No. 11. She spun her third at the par-5 12th within a few feet and she kicked that in for birdie. Her momentum was halted at the 13th.

Lewis missed the green with her approach shot and that led to a bogey, which dropped her to minus-8. She wrapped up her round with five pars in a row to end there.

"We shot some 66s yesterday and I think that's a great score on this golf course. The greens are just so tricky, there's not a lot of hole locations on a couple of the greens, you have to hit it to the right spot," Lewis stated. "You can make some bogeys and worse pretty quick. It's just staying patient."

NOTES: Jang has six wins on the Korean LPGA Tour, which she has competed on for the last five years ... Paula Creamer, who is tied for 16th, had a hole- in-one on the par-3 sixth ... With world No. 1 Inbee Park tied for 45th after 36 holes, Lewis and Ko both have a chance to take over the top spot in the world rankings with a victory.